Togo inquiry finds rights abuses

By Mark Devenport at the United Nations

An international commission of inquiry into allegations of summary executions and torture in Togo has concluded that there were systematic violations of human rights in the West African country after the presidential election of 1998.

Eyewitnesses indicated that summary executions had taken place, as well as torture, rapes and kidnappings

The inquiry team - appointed jointly by the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and the UN - indicated its belief that individuals linked to the Togolese security forces had carried out summary executions of the government's political opponents.

The reports of human rights violations in Togo were first publicised by the human-rights organisation Amnesty International.

Amnesty said that after Togo's President Gnassingbe Eyadema was re-elected in 1998, his political opponents took to the streets in protest and the Togolese security forces responded by killing several hundred activists and dumping their bodies at sea.

The government in Togo vehemently denied the accusations, labelling them a tissue of lies.

Independent inquiry

But last year it did agree to the appointment of an independent commission of inquiry answerable to both the UN and the OAU.

The abuses followed President Eyadema's election

The three-member inquiry team spent five weeks in Togo late last year.

In its 26-page report, the commission says that it was not able to find any bodies or establish exactly how many people had been killed.

But it said it had collected many reliable accounts from eyewitnesses which indicated that summary executions had indeed taken place, as well as the torture of prisoners, rapes and kidnappings.

Official links

The commission says there were strong indications that the killings were carried out by individuals linked to the security forces, working in co-operation with the Togolese police and allied militias.

The report calls for the Togolese Government to appoint a panel of judges to investigate the facts and take legal action against those responsible.

In its initial response the government insisted that it has always respected human rights.

The findings of the independent commission are likely to prove highly embarrassing for President Eyadema, who is currently the chairman of the OAU.